Hmm, maybe there's something to it then. I haven't memorized it exactly but my last four digits start with a 5xxx and I have an 09. It seems like the numbers have gone up each year since the 2008 model.

So Joe Z, if there were around 4K produced in 2008 and after 4 years (2009-2012) we're at say 10K, that's about 1500/year since the first year.

If the Sequential theory holds true.... It would be since 2008...
~ Joe Z

I think this holds weight. I have an 08 and my last six digits are 002966. So for me to come around the 3k mark sure seems reasonable. I bought my car used but given the mileage and such that number seems totally logical.

The fact that it is rare, I was at Carson Toyota last Tuesday and surprisingly one of the financial managers didn't know what an IS-F is or was. It so funny when he asked me if my car was an "IS 350-F"?! I just plainly said it's an IS-F and he added, which I'll never forget, "your car looks like a rocket" and "tells me everyone was looking at it". My point here is... I also drive and
Own Mercedes Benz(Es) but with the IS-F people, I think, think of the IS-F as being one of a kind or perhaps a better word would be almost non-existent. Even with a CLS AMG you don't get that kind of compliments you get from an IS-F. Theres my 2 cents.

Took delivery of my car in June 2010. The last 4 digits are 7939.

I got a speeding ticket a few months ago and the CHP officer asked me, "What kind of car is this?" That was the first time I have ever have been stopped by a law enforcement officer who did not know the type of car it was. His instincts told him it wasn't a regular IS, but that's all he knew.

As much as I would like to know how exclusive the IS F is in terms of global numbers, I think we are all just fortunate to be able to own such a great all around car. '08 was when I bought mine, and I'm partial with Joe about it being the best MY . I also like that there aren't too many on the roads. It makes it more enjoyable to see another F whenever they're out and about.

For what it's worth, MY2008 ends in 4467.. Built in July 2008 right towards the end of the batch.

~ Joe Z

Thanks for posting that. It appears that what Flipside is saying in that thread is that the last 7 digits of the VIN serve as the plant serial number, but since all IS-Fs sold worldwide are built in the same place, the number is not unique to the US market alone. Since it is also clear that those with earlier build IS-F have lower numbers in that final 7 and those with later built IS-Fs have higher numbers, I think we can assume the numbers are sequential and not random.

So, if your last 4 digits are 6748 (just for example) you have the 6,748th IS-F to roll off the line, but that doesn't mean all the previous ones were sent to the US market? I think I'm reading that correctly. We don't know what percentage of IS-Fs made are sent to the US though. If we're just over 10K in the VIN numbers now, does that mean 10K IS-Fs have been shipped here, or 10K IS-Fs have been produced, and only 50% or so made have been shipped here. Again, if I'm reading that 4 year old thread the right way, we're only talking roughly 5K-6K shipped to the US over a 5+ year period. It seems strange to think there are less than 6K IS-Fs in the entire country!